Philadelphia 76ers: Why Sixers Are Now Top 5 Team in East

The Philadelphia 76ers have made one of the biggest acquisitions in recent seasons to catapult themselves from the bottom Eastern Conference team to top of the ranks.

The Sixers were already a pretty average team, but now they have the ability to make some noise in the playoffs and scare the top seeds. They are still a few pieces away from becoming a championship team, but here is why they are a top five team in the Eastern Conference.

4. Great Defense

Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

The Sixers have one of the best team defenses in the league. They are able to guard on the perimeter and now, with Andrew Bynum to protect the rim, it will be tough for teams to score in the paint also.

They were ranked third in the league in both points allowed and opponents field goal percentage only behind Chicago and Boston. They use their speed well and make teams work hard for their buckets.

3. Coach Doug Collins

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Doug Collins is one of the best coaches and motivators in the league. He has found a way to lead his young team to the playoffs two years in a row and make the games competitive against the tougher teams in the conference.

His leadership and poise kept the Sixers in many games. Collins was a big reason for the team's success.

They did not look like a young team as much as they should have and Collins deserves much credit for that. He will continue to help his team rise to the top this season.

1. Inside Presence

With Bynum, the Sixers finally have an inside presence which is what they have desperately needed for a few years now.

Acquiring Bynum for SF Andre Iguodala was the best possible trade they could have gotten. They still have SG Evan Turner to facilitate and play a similar role to Iguodala's.

Bynum is arguably the best all-around center in the league and is the best offensive center in the league. With that amount of potential inside that not many teams have, the Sixers are built to be a top five team in the conference.